It is the Saturday evening after Thanksgiving. The turkey feast with all the trimmings has been cooked, eaten and reworked into several variations over the past few days. There is not much left at this point and all of the bellies in our house are full. The parade has been watched. The Iron Bowl has been played. The dishes have been washed and put away for the hundredth time. It is the same song and dance of Thanksgivings from my entire life.

Thanksgiving is not the only time of the year to be filled with gratitude but it is a great reminder that we should always be appreciative of the many treasures in our lives. Despite all of my imperfections and shortcomings, my list of things to be thankful for has grown yet again. My family remains at the top of my list. Always has been. Always will be. That is closely followed by food, shelter, good health, friends, humor and feelings of self worth. Also making an appearance is the fact that I am not a shopper and I am not married to a shopper. In our house, Black Friday is a day meant for wearing sweat pants, watching movies, doing puzzles, eating leftovers, playing cards and spending time together. Perfection in my book! But I digress….

As the weekend nears its end and the rest of the holiday season quickly approaches, let us be continually reminded of the things in life that are truly important.